by Donal Skehan from Fresh (Hodder Stoughton)
Beetroot are easy enough to grow, and there is a huge selection of varieties and colours to choose from, such as pale pinks, candy-striped, & even golden yellow. These vegetarian burgers are a great way of showing them off.
Prep time: 30 mins, plus 30 mins chilling minimum
Cooking time: 20 mins
Makes 6
Ingredients
3 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 raw beetroot, peeled and grated
1 courgette, grated
2 large carrots, grated
100g porridge oats
1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3 tbsp tahini
1 large free-range egg (or 1 medium if necessary)
4 spring onions, finely sliced
3 tbsp chopped coriander
Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
To serve
Wholewheat or sourdough buns, split and toasted
Chickpea Hummus
Avocado slices
Beansprouts
Red cabbage, shredded
Method
1. Heat about a tablespoon of the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat.
Sauté the onion and garlic for four to five minutes or until softened.
Add the grated vegetables and cook, stirring, for about five minutes until softened, then drain off any liquid.
2. Place the oats, chickpeas, tahini and egg in a food processor and pulse to combine. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, stir through the cooked vegetables, spring onions and coriander, and season generously with salt and black pepper.
3. Form the mixture into six burgers and chill for about 30 minutes (or up to 24 hours). Heat the remaining oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and cook the burgers, in batches if necessary, for about two to three minutes on each side, until golden.
4. Serve the burgers in toasted sourdough buns with the hummus, avocado, beansprouts and red cabbage.
